Okay as I promised: Part two to the two chaptteers I said I'd postt! Thank you to those who are sticking witht htte story and reading whe I postt! It really encourages me to keep wwritting and keep postting!
-Miche
Chapter 7: Training
I left the elevator onto my floor and couldn't help but think about Grey. What would happen in the arena? Would he really try and kill me? Or would we fight it out together with the careers? I couldn't do it. Watch those beautiful eyes of his fade into nothingness as I plunge a weapon into his body. His face would be relaxed, and muscles still as he would fade. Finally, he would look at me: his killer with his last breath and say something that I'd never forget.
I tried sleeping for a few hours but only found myself looking out the window at the city below. I rose, and found my way to the living room area where I saw no one present. There I stayed watching specials on tributes, the newest fashion, and even a soap opera for a while. The news was interesting for a few more minutes as Caesar Flickerman and Plutarch Heavensbee talked about the presentation of the tributes showing constant reruns of their favorite moments.
"Oh and here's my favorite team this year, Rain Troute, and Grey Twilight."
"Ah, I just love how much they truly trust each other, willing to show the world they believe in themselves and will win this year."
"Now, Caesar, we have some photographs of Rain and a certain younger victor, spending some close encounters together." The screen faded into a few picture of Finnick and I as they spoke on the subject. The first was of Finnick seeing me in the crowd of people at the reapings when my name was called. I wasn't the only one who noticed he saw me.
"See, the way he is looking at her makes me think they knew each other before the games. Some sources suggest they grew up knowing each other while others say they've had brief romances in the past."
The second, third, fourth and fifth pictures to come up were from the parade: When he lifted me up, set me down with the angle of the shoot making our faces appear closer than they were, his sugar cube sneak, and me looking at him as he left for our living quarters.
"Caesar, this looks like more than a friendship. It isn't just me is it?"
"Oh Heavens no, Heavensbee-" Caesar then barked a laugh at his accidental joke, the two of them sharing the laughter. Thus wasn't at all what I had planned for. I just wanted to be noticed enough to get sponsered, not the center of everyone's romantic interests and delights. The screen faded from the black back to Caesar and Plutarch as they watched newer pictures from tonight's party.
"Now that is a girl who has her strategy figured out."
"I don't think it's just a strategy, Plutarch."
"What do you mean?"
"Is it me, or do I see a romance budding between the two?"
"Well! Now that I think about it-" the television went blank as I pressed the off button. It made me feel violated that they had cameras on me. They are already going to watch us die. Can they give us just the tiniest bit of privacy?
"I was watching that you know…" Finnick said my attention. At the moment, I wasn't thinking about that right now, I was thinking about something other than what the capitol thought. What I thought. "Rain?"
"What?" I said solemnly.
"Why did you turn the TV off?"
"Well nothing they say is true, it's all for show."
"Let's give them a show, then." He yawned. "What do you say?" It might get me sponsors for the boost in people wanting Finnick to be happy, but then again, the hate from all the people who like him may throw nothing but fire at me from then on.
"Nothing will happen after I go in the games, you know that-"
"All I know is I will do everything to ring you out of there alive." he had come around the couch I sat on and faced me. "Okay?"
"Why?"
"Because you are special. I think you can actually survive."
"Because I've killed before?" that was a mistake, he didn't seem to notice anyways from his comatose-like behavior. I have never told anyone but my father that. Only Grey knew I had killed. What made me so open to speaking to him? Was it because knew I was going to die soon?
"No, because you have a good heart. You may not know it, but I know you will kill to protect yourself or those you love. Goodnight." He kissed my head before walking out the door.
My beat red face could now be hidden once he left. I never thought I'd end up like one of those stereotypical girls, but I'm the definition . This thought in my mind when he walked away was something I had been avoiding since I met him, something that both confused me and made me nervous to even think about.
The thought of actually falling for him.
"Finnick?"
"Yeah?" he pulled himself back around the corner, the momentum he was going disagreeing with him.
"Why are you up so late?"
"I had an important meeting with some officials about sponsoring you two." That made sense, but it didn't how late it was. I only Hoped it wasn't with a woman who 'wanted to sponsor us'.
I woke in my bed around six. Until now, I had never noticed the little metal controller on my side table. It was curved like a low arch, and responded to my touch. I must have done something because the scenery outside my window changed. It morphed from the capital city lights, to a close up view of one street which colourful people walked down. Then next touch changed it to a desert and the third a forest. I didn't like either so I went to turn it off when there was one more setting. The sound slammed into me before I even saw it and it made my chest hurt.
The ocean, the waves and foam, the birds and sand, even the time of day was early dawn. The only thing it didn't have was the smells and feeling of the ocean.
My hand unknowingly reached out to touch the water and touch the warm sand, but I only touched glass. I quickly turned the fake screen off before becoming too attached and slipped into my bed soon after, facing away from it.
I came back into the world from my dreams about an hour later, and felt well rested. The sun wasn't shining directly in my window but it was bright enough out to cause the curtains to glow. My eyes opened and I saw everything just as normal as it usually was, my clothes from yesterday gone and replaced with new clean ones, the whole room dusted and polished over night. My pillow behind me seemed too far away when I reached to pull it close to my body, fitting to my figure.
For the past two days I've been woken up by Finnick and Abby, so since I was the one awake this early morning, I thought 'Why not wake them up?' I dressed and quickly found their rooms.
Abby was just the most delightful morning person so I thought I'd wake her like she did me. Barging in and demanding for my presence in the dining hall. I pounded on her door and heard her shout in anger before running away.
Finnick's room. Once there, I walked in and noticed him already sitting by the window Indian style with his head back on the bed. His room was very similar to mine other than the messed up bed and clothing everywhere. I saw three or four different alcoholic drinks by his bedside table, and smelt sea salt in his room. He had candles burning all around the room in the dark which gave it an eerie feel.
"Wake up sunshine…" I muttered crossing my arms. He didn't answer. My feet made their way to his side. "Hey, wake up, Finnick." He sat there perfectly peaceful with his eyes closed. Finnick never looked this relaxed, even though he was known as a sly womanizer by his laid back personality, and it was strange seeing him like this. It was like it wasn't even him.
It was similar to when I would see Grey sleeping. Grey always had this look of relaxation, but when he was dreaming, you could tell he was only truly calm then.
He suddenly stirred as a sigh escaped his mouth. His eyes blinked open, but weren't quite focused. Once he noticed I was there, he had me pinned to the ground with a knife pushed on my throat. I fought back tears of fear.
"Finnick! Finnick it's me! It's R-" He pushed the knife closer to one of my main arteries and I let a whimper of pain out. "It's Rain! It's me!" At first he didn't look away but then he twitched, blinked away and then looked back, now conscious of his actions. The dull blade dropped to the ground as he stood away from me.
"I'm sorry." He paced by the corner.
"I was just trying to wake you up…"
"Just get out now, please." He wasn't making any sense… "Now! Please!" demanding now, he looked me right in the eyes. His bright green/blue eyes meeting my hazel ones caused me to not hesitate in following his orders. He was confused and ashamed, not even trying to hide it from me.
My shoulders and back were then slammed against the wooden walls no sooner had I left. Abby looked at me like I was just another tribute in the games.
"Don't ever wake me up again, you little bitch."
"Get off me-"
"Aw, is baby gonna cry?" she bashed me again like she wanted an answer. I saw a flash of light and gasped seeing something hit her."Don't touch her!" Finnick yelled from his room obviously upset. Grey appeared and pulled her off of me before noticing the knife that was now sunk deeply in the wall. Her shoulder was bleeding from the graze.
"That is very expensive, red oak!" Deary shouted, her heels clomping down the hall as she ran here. I removed the knife with a little trouble; it being a good two or three inches imbedded in the wall. "Must I really ask you four to refrain yourselves from violence this year?"
"Where'd you get a knife?" Grey asked Finnick once he made sure I was okay.
"I always have one on me just in case…" The smirk was again on his face, hiding everything.
"Incase of what?" He asked me in a whisper. We all made our way to the dinner hall where breakfast awaited our arrival. I could smell it from my room.
"I woke him up this morning from a nightmare he was having. I didn't know it had been a bad dream until he had me by the throat, and a knife to it."
"He attacked you with it!?" He tensed up glaring at Finnick's back.
"Only because he wasn't sure what was going on. I told him it was me and he snapped out of it. I don't know… he's just troubled I guess."
"Well yeah. I'm sure the games change people, you remember Annie Cresta?" At that, I witnessed Finnicks head twitch in our direction, he did know her after all.
"Yeah." I wanted to say nothing further on the subject, but Grey didn't see what I did in Finnick's reaction to this.
"Well, she went insane and killed herself after her games. I'd hate to see what would happen to either one of us afterwards." The memory of that year's battle still haunts my memory. That year there had been a giant tidal wave that hit all the tributes after she witnessed her district partners decapitation by another. She would have died as well if it weren't for the wave. Annie was one of the only tributes who could swim, ensuring her victory.
Once we finished the omelets and bacon, we filed into the living room where we watched the new for today before we would go off for training. Caesar and Plutarch only reviewed about what each tribute might contribute to this year's games.
"So who do you think the group of alliances are this year?"
"Well it looks to me like there might be an alliance between a few different tributes, actually. Defiantly districts one and three are together this year, and it looks like the girl from two, and the boys from five and ten. We have some news leaking in that no offer has been made to the district four tributes. I guess we'll just have to wait for the arena."
"Have they asked Rain?" Deary asked muting the television. Everyone looked at me.
"Actually, Diamonde and Zyre from one asked me shortly after the ceremony once everyone left. They said I was a sure go ahead."
"What about me?" the room fell silent when Grey asked.
"They told me you need to watch what you say-"
"Oh my god-"
"This is your only way you might be able to survive longer than two days! And Grey if I were you I'd shut up!" Abby shouted.
"Well it's almost eight, so I suggest we head down for your training today." The conversation ended at that.
We headed down shortly after, and were dressed in strange diving suit-like material. It stretched and formed to my shape, but was still loose enough to move the way I did. The material was red, black, and silver, and had a number 4 on my back and arms (as if my appearance wasn't enough identification).
Grey held my hand once we entered in, but had to let go to stand around our instructor as everyone else made their way in. District one, two and three were already chatting across from another while they surveyed the other tributes eyeing the weapons.
Zyre noticed me first and looked at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine. He was not someone I could trust.
"Alright tributes listen up!" Arianna, I found that was her name, proceeded to explain everything we needed to know about the training center. "There will be trainers near by that will show you the proper techniques for using said weapon or said skill. Now before all of this, we will be running all of you through a short obstacle course to warm you up for training."
She walked ever to where the path was. "You will start by running up and down these moving platforms while also avoiding getting hit by three of our trainers. They're just using a foam bat, so don't go whining away when you get hit.
"Next you will climb a set of nets that will lead you up to the ceiling and back down. A balance test will be after that in which you will have three paths to choose from.
"Finally there is an army crawl, a wall to climb, and then a sprint to finish. Got it?" everyone nodded wearily. "Now line up!" of course this was when everyone showed what their playing at since most of the careers were the first to go.
We were also timed which made it a little more nerve racking.
"Go!" she shouted a time watch in her hand as Zyre jump onto the first moving platform. He was only hit once, flipped the net over on his way up, almost falling, but gained control on the way down. He chose one path that looked similar to a balance beam, sped through the crawl and wall climb, almost jumping over the fifteen foot thing, and making it down to the finish in one giant huff.
"Four minutes and thirty nine seconds." Diamonde was next, and finished in almost six minutes. Many others went before me (Palmer from eleven falling from the net) and had just as equally a rough time through as most. Grey went right before I did and finished in five minutes flat.
"Go!" she shouted at me, the eleventh in line. I wasn't paying attention so it cost me a few seconds before I began. The platforms moved opposite and at different speeds, but I was quick to react and luckily went through without being hit for once.
Next, I began on the net, but halfway through, it flipped over on me as I climbed upside-down. I had to do a type of monkey bar climb to get across. Through the entire thing I just pictured me and Grey running through the forest near my house where we use to play, and just had fun with it. I went through the army crawl course like I was avoiding the moss on a fallen tree and ran like he was chasing me on the beach.
"Four minutes and fifteen seconds."
"Nice job, Rain." Zyre said winking at me. Again the strange feeling came back, but this time it was worse because he actually used my name.
"Yeah, Fish girl. I never knew you had it in you." Cassi actually approached me after her run through, which ended in seven minutes from falling once from the net. I sensed Grey's presence when they all became stone hard again like the typical careers did.
"So who wants to head over to the swords station and spar?" he asked trying to sound as upbeat as he could. I held back a smile knowing that it kills him to be nice to them, but he's trying.
"Sure, why not?" Solar said leading himself and Lockwood over. We all went to similar stations, me going to all but my strong station; spears. My first one was archery with Cassi and Diamonde. They both missed by a long shot, the closest being Solar in the yellow section. When it was my turn, the instructor told me how to hold it and aim properly, but I already knew this from Grey teaching me.
"One…"I focused in on the bull's eye, and breathed calmly while knocking and aiming my arrow. "Two…" The end of the string that I held was barely touching the corner of my lip. "Three…" I released it on my exhale.
There was a twang of my string, a swish of wind, and a pang when it hit the dummy just off the center of the chest. Everyone congratulated me until they heard someone yell in frustration.
We all turned to see Lockwood swinging with all his might trying to hit Grey, when all Grey was doing was dodging the swings with ease. Before we could laugh at the situation, we saw Grey quickly disarm Lock with his own sword, and knock him to the floor with the blade at his throat. Solar merely observed.
"Come on Rain, let's go to there next." Cassi instructed. Once I got there, I noticed more than just swords lying around. There were sickle shaped blades, maces, and other clubs used for a weapon. I picked up a type of knife that was half my forearm in length and was about two fingers in width. It was sharp on the one end, double edged, and had a weird handle on it.
"That's a throwing knife." The instructor said making me cautious about the weapon in my hand. "Usually people hold it like this and throw it with this type of a motion," he walked me through the steps, and before I knew it, throwing knives were my new expertise.
"Let's see it all together now." I stepped up to the line, and right as the buzzer rang, I threw my first knife, missing the center by a few inches. The only one I made was the last one, but only because I was caught up in what to do. Ginger tried after me, and got closer to the target, obviously showing her training in the weapon.
"Nice shot." Zyre said walking over." The blush on her face was obvious.
"T-thanks. I'm use to throwing them."
"At who? Your ex-boyfriends?"
"Maybe." They instantly began a close relationship that might just carry to the arena. I happened to glance over to where Grey was at and saw him near the archery station, shooting at the furthest targets. He's hit a bull's eye from 300 feet away, but somehow missed this time by two inches and I knew he was trying not to hit the target.
"I bet Zyre can't make it from fifty." He said as people laughed at his aim.
"Deal!" Zyre shouted. He had his arrow ready and shot it, making it dead on. Everyone cheered. "Easy…" he said dropping the bow on the ground.
"I have seen better." Grey bloated.
"Bet you can't split mine from across the training center."
"What are you betting?"
"Your life. You make it; I won't kill you until you make the final three. You miss, and after the gong rings, you're free game." Zyre whispered for only us to hear.
"Deal." Everyone was shocked. Grey quickly jogged over to the opposite side of the room before aiming his arrow.
"It's got to be at least two hundred feet." Ginger said watching him. We all were silent once Grey knocked his arrow. He took a deep breath and pulled the string back to aim. I counted three breaths, as he usually does, before he released the arrow. It whizzed past everyone before the stopped us. We all looked to see one arrow just off center, and Zyre's next to it on the bull's eye.
"No shooting outside of the marked area!" one of the trainers shouted running to take the bow from him.
We ended the training hour with me and Grey learning about different plants that are edible, and we had just found out what Nightlock was and how to identify it when we heard a yell.
"Hey!" I turned to see little rose looking terrified with a small knife in her hand. "Wait your turn little girl."
"You have to share you know-" she threw one of her three knives.
"Not in the arena. Now give it back" Rose hesitated. "Give me the knife, Eleven."
"No, get it yourself." And she threw it at a target, barely hitting the thing. He smirked at her before backing her up, taking another knife, and going for her throat.
"Don't even mess with me-" My instincts kicked in and I jumped to help, but the guards got there before I could leave the station. "You're the first one I'll get little one, so I'd watch my back if I were you!" they pushed him off and removed the knife before dismissing us to our floors.
We were all confined there for the rest of the day.
P.S. I'll be posting more photos on my twitter page for this story ( MicheArt221), so all of you guys can see what I see when referencing to some outfits or people!
Until next week! :)